Darkness in the Twilight
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By Psycho Ferret and LunarCrystal
Mourning and Ceremony
The upper district of Palas was not very far from the palace, which loomed above all the buildings of the city. Allen was recognized at the gates so the guards did not inhibit their passage to the front courtyard of the grand palace. Stewards and guards by the door were alerted to their visit as soon as they saw the siblings walking down the gravel.
One steward, frantic about this surprise, hurried up to them as soon as they'd reached the steps to the palace. "Sir Schezar and Lady Celena. Might I inquire as to your business at the palace?"
"Is Princess Millerna here?" It had been awhile since he'd been here and the frantic, but still comforting air was familiar to him, the scents. The air of authority still lingered there and even though he wore not his uniform anymore, even though he was no longer a knight... he was treated with respect here.
"A-Allen . . ." Celena's eyes cleared a bit when she finally saw why everyone was so frantic, looking up at the tall spires of the palace.
The steward answered the former knight in a clipped tone. "She is here, sir. But she is not to be disturbed today."
Allen blinked, arching a brow, turning his head slightly towards Celena, a faint frown tugging on his lips. "What is it?" He whispered softly, panic fluttering in his chest.
"There's black flags . . . on the towers." She said softly to his ear, while at the same time giving a glare to the steward who was staring at them impatiently.
"King Aston has passed away." said the steward angrily, "Did you not notice the mourning flags flying?"
Allen tensed, his unseeing eyes widening slightly. He turned his head towards the steward, shaking his head slightly. "I... I cannot see them, no." The man he had served valiantly, he had pledged his life as a knight to him... now he was gone.
Allen bowed his head slightly. Of course Millerna would not be disturbed.
The blonde lightly tugged his sister back, turning to leave. "Let us be gone from here, Celena..."
Celena nodded and was about to lead him away from the palace, but a commanding voice stopped them and made her quickly turn around.
"Let them through." said a woman. It was Millerna herself, standing there in the grand archway of the front palace. "Fideress, do you not know Sir Allen Schezar? You will let them pass immediately."
The steward known as Fideress was struggling to find something to say, some argument. All he had been told was that the princesses were not to be disturbed. But he turned back to the awaiting siblings and motioned them onward toward the palace. Hesitantly, Celena began to lead them back where Millerna now stood.
Allen was regretfully silent as they approached her, the air of mourning falling heavy on his shoulders. The air was thick with it, how had he not noticed it before? Sir Allen... it was not his title anymore, but he did not mention it. The blonde bowed his head to the princess. "My sincerest regrets of the king's passing, princess."
"Allen," said the princess tearfully, paying little to no heed to the girl on his arm, "It has been far too long. Please, come inside." And she started walking away from them, leading them indoors through lavish hallways of red carpets and white marble. They came to some rooms, an unflattering meeting room with books on shelves and a few plants here and there.
There was a window, and Celena thought her brother might like to sit in the sunshine, so she led him to a seat wreathed in it. Secretly she was thinking that the king deserved his fevered death, having been bitter about the man's very existence since the riots and Allen losing his sight. She took a seat next to her brother, watching the graceful princess - who did not sit - but rather stood and paced a bit.
Millerna looked to Celena. "And you are Allen's sister, yes?" she asked. Celena could feel a knot of rage form in her gut, just by Millerna's speaking.
"She is, yes. Celena." Allen inclined his head slightly to Millerna, turning his head towards her. "It would do you good not to pace so, princess. You and your sister must be strong for the people in this time. Relax slightly. You were never one for such anxieties."
"I grieve my father's death, Allen." she said impatiently, "That is not why I grow anxious." Though she sat anyway, across from the former knight and gazing at him with a fondness she knew he couldn't see. "I was there when you were forced to resign. I begged my father to not make it so, but he wouldn't listen to me."
"It was for the best, Millerna, you know this. I have difficulty defending myself. What good would I have been to the king?" Though his resignation still hurt tremendously. "Pray tell me, then... what is it that bothers you so, if it is not the king's passing?"
"Eries has receded from the line to the throne." said Millerna miserably, "I'm sure you've retained quite a bit of your knowledge of politics to understand what that means."
"I'm sure I can imagine, yes," murmured the blonde, cocking his head to the side slightly, arching a brow. "Do not be so miserable, princess..."
"I will not be a princess for much longer." she whimpered, "They're going to crown me queen. I have no king by my side, as Dryden has not returned to me. Allen - They already speak of the coronation, of the ceremony, a ball. I cannot do this! It's too soon. . ."
"Princess Millerna," said Celena, "I'm sorry but - my brother has been through many hardships lately. I do not see a reason for you to complain to him like this." She made her words deliberately cold, the wine they had with their lunch was still giving her unnecessary courage. She even stood to make her statement more pronounced. After all, they'd come here to visit, not for her brother to bend his ear to the woes of a princess.
"I - I beg your pardon?" said the princess, completely taken aback. "Dear lady, I . . ."
Celena cut her off, her gaze upon the princess stern like ice. "Please refrain from raising your voice to him."
"Celena, please." He rested a hand on his sister's arm, shaking his head. "Please, princess. I have been at your side long enough for you to know that I will hear your grievances. Celena has had a bit too much to drink this day."
He was not brushing aside his sister, but he still felt a loyalty to the royal family. He would hear her troubles, he had no reason not to.
"What is it that you might ask me to do to help?"
"Allen." Millerna began, her eyes staring at Celena warily as the noble lady sat back down - on her brother's insistence. "Word came to me that you were training with the sword again. Is this true?"
"I am. You should know me well enough to know that I will not let this run my life. I will overcome it. Why is it that you ask...?"
"I - I want to correct the mistakes my father made. To his people, yes - of which I've already taken strides to distribute food to the lower classes. But most of all to those who were most loyal to him - to this country." She stood again, coming around the table so that she may take Allen's hand. Her voice was so full of sadness, but so sincere and she did not care if the girl he claimed to be his sister was staring daggers at her. "Allen, please, tell me how I might be able to give you life again?"
"You would not have me as one of your knights, princess. I would be a hindrance. Scherezade is useless to me. What good would I prove to you?" Allen smiled almost sadly. It was unlike him to admit his weaknesses, to point them out so obviously. He had changed much in certain ways... but in essence, he was still the same.
"I would have to agree with Sir Schezar." said a new voice, a very downtrodden baritone. Oh, but a beautiful baritone nonetheless. Millerna stood and turned to greet the man.
"Sir Elden Castell," she said, "You know Sir Allen Schezar from the Knight's Caeli. Allen, you might remember Sir Castell. He was also a Caeli Knight - the other who was forced to resign." She gazed at the one-armed knight sadly, nodding and permitting him to enter. He did so quickly, embarrassed, and sat down with mumbled greetings to Celena and Allen.
Allen turned his head towards the other man and nodded to him. "I do. I would not forget those I was so honored to serve beside." Allen was silent for a moment, still, before he turned his sightless gaze back to Millerna, waiting her continuance.
It was Elden who spoke, however. "The princess, who is soon to be queen, fancies us to be accepted back into our regiment." he spoke bitterly, as if he had not yet come to terms with his own loss and therefore had little patience or sympathy for Allen's.
"Though I see not the point, I would honorably accept. We would not be the most useful of knights, princess. While your heart is in the right place--and I am thankful for your kindness--would it not be better for your people to have those within the knighthood who would benefit it, not hinder it? Because we are... and I am most regretful to even speak it so... cripples, in the end."
Celena watched Elden visibly tense at the word mentioned, take a sidelong glance to his empty right sleeve before staring down at the table as if to burn a hole through it. "And what of you, Sir Schezar," he asked, knowing the princess was watching them in a mixture of horrific fascination and pity. "You are a nobleman, like the rest of us. Exactly what have you been doing to support your family? Yourself?"
"Sir Elden," said Millerna, but she was stopped by the embittered man.
"With all due respect, princess. Please let him answer." and Celena saw his most intense gaze on her brother.
"Nothing. To be bitterly honest," Allen murmured, his head slightly bowed, "I almost lost myself to my grief at losing what I held dear to me, what I had worked so hard to become. Losing my sight was bad enough... but I should have known that losing the honor of being a knight would follow soon after. Even still... words cannot explain my grief, though I am rather sure you, yourself, can fathom it, Sir Elden."
The blonde sighed softly, shaking his head a little. "I am a soldier above whatever else I might be and I do miss the field. I do miss what I had gained.
But what can a blind man do here? I have lost much pride and it pains me so. Knowing that I cannot see the... pitying glances they give me, how can I face them? How can I find myself among them? They are whole, even if they are poor. Me? I am a shadow of who I was. I have been able to do nothing for my family, what of it remains."
Celena clenched Allen's hand, the sadness on her face unwarranted but could not be helped, and she could not interrupt them. Her touch was all she had to offer, and she hoped that it was enough. Elden continued his gaze at Allen, who did not react to the anger that was clearly building on the former knight's features.
"You do not know your luck, Sir Schezar." he said coldly, "You mastered the sword so young, gained knighthood - you do not need eyes to wield a sword, nor to hear the enemy's cry, or to feel the swing of the blade. I have but one arm left and I cannot even hold a sword properly. It is a mockery that you dare even pity yourself with all that you still retain."
"Sir Elden!" Millerna was practically shocked at the forwardness of the knight, for it was most definitely not chivalric behavior. "I will not have an argument in this room. Please, we meet civilly here."
"Princess, please." Allen raised a hand to quiet her. "He is correct. I have been very fortunate and I am aware of that. I do grieve for your loss, do not mistake me for not being so. I fought beside you, I know you... you are still a brother to me. I do not try to belittle your losses in the least. Forgive me for making it seem so, it is I who should have realized it and stilled my tongue.
But in the end, are we not all fortunate? Even if we have been broken, you and I, we are still alive... and that there shows that we were meant to live for some other purpose. I am not one to believe in fate and gods, per say... but you cannot deny that it could have been far worse for the both of us."
"I see your purpose and will to live - for the pretty young lady that sits beside you." Elden's voice quieted, "You are right, of course. I only lost my arm, you your sight. We are still of use to someone, are we not?"
"You can still be of use to this kingdom," said Millerna, looking at both of them shrewdly, "The positions in the knights have not been filled, and I will gladly grant them back to you. You both know that it takes months to fill the Caeli regiment anyway."
Allen sighed softly, shaking his head. "Together or not at all, is how it will be decided. Will you, then, stay at my side, Sir Elden, and I at yours? No matter the decision, I will offer my aid if you ever need it and I can only hope the same from you."
Millerna saw that Elden was seriously mulling it over, thinking about it very hard. He had lost his pride, his honor, his title - but it was the same for Allen. And something passed through his features, his expression turning into one of determination and confidence. He stood quickly, pursing his lips. Millerna was about to offer her second plan, thinking that Elden might be ready to refuse her first offer. But to her delight and surprise, he did not.
Elden put his only remaining fist to his heart in a salute to his blind comrade. "I will be honored to serve with you, Sir Allen Schezar. Together, like it should be among the Knights, is what we will be. I will not let this conquer my life."
"And I will give you my aid, my brother." Allen stood calmly from his seat, turning his gaze to the other man and mimicking his movement, a movement they both knew well enough. "I swear by my sword and my life and my honor."
The silence from the other had gnawed at him, but he was delighted to find his acceptance. He would not have agreed to it unless he had. A small, personal show of respect for the other.
Celena nearly cried. Millerna had tears welling up as well, and her voice was tight. "You will be knighted the day after my coronation - in one week. By the gods, I will make it so no matter what might stand in the way. Jechia bless you both in her glorious waves." The tears could not be helped, though she tried so very hard to keep them from her voice when she quickly excused herself.
Celena finally stood from her seat, beside her brother who had a look of utter pride on his face. Elden too, looked like he was near breaking down and crying, but he was too strong, too proud for the moment.
"We should be a most interesting pair on the field." he said tightly.
"We should... and you and I will be all that much prouder for it." Allen's voice quivered slightly with the surge of emotions he felt. He was slowly grasping, gaining back his life. Wrenching it back from whatever hands had taken it.
Pride, honor, glory... they all surged forward with the greatest relief.
He wanted to cry. To sob in his joy... but men, nae, knights... knights did not cry.
"Celena... where is Gaddes? Did he say?"
If Allen did not let out a sob, Celena did it for him. Her tears rushed forth like a cascade of diamonds on porcelain. "He - he," she was just so full of happiness, she had to take breaths in-between sobs just to speak clearly, "North - Fort Castelo. . . rebuilding."
"He must be told. Nae... nae, I will go to him." Allen smiled, nodding. "When we have been knighted, I will find him and once more pull him to my side, even if the others will not come." Sliding his way carefully towards the other man, he reached out, clasping the other's shoulders tightly.
"More than honored."
Elden brought up his hand to clasp Allen's at his armless shoulder. "I am privileged." was all he could say for the joy that he felt. "Please allow me to escort you out with your wife."
Celena looked at Elden, surprised, but if Elden in fact noticed he made no show of it in his face. He simply continued to gaze at her blind brother with the same amount of pride that overwhelmed the room.
Allen paused, but shook his head slightly. "I would be honored." Allen turned his sightless gaze towards his sister, holding out his hand to her. His entire being thrummed with pride and excitement, glory and honor that had been restored.
Elden did as he insisted, and escorted them to the foyer where he took his leave of them, with promises of training and celebration later.
It was almost a rush with how quickly Allen and Celena were driven home in their carriage, Celena having stared for so long, and only finding the solace in their own parlor to really break down and cry from all the happiness she felt.
There was hardly any consoling her, even as she buried her face in her hand and fell to her knees before finding the couch to sit on.
Allen nodded to the promises, looking forward to them. He'd aid Elden in what he could with his swordplay, to help him build up the strength in his remaining arm. Promises of furthering their brotherhood. Allen found himself a chair, sinking into it silently, staring at the floor unseeingly for a long moment before he brushed tears from his blind eyes with a hand that he noted shaking.
"With what little hope we had left - what little pride . . . oh, Allen," she cried, "We'll be okay now, won't we? Everything will be fine?"
"It will be," he muttered, shoulders shaking with his joy. The whole ordeal was taxing, the joy flowing through him immeasurable.
"I don't think I could have been happier that the king finally rid us of his cruelty." Celena said bitterly.
"Don't speak such things, Celena... his death is mournful. I cannot say the same for his treatment of the people, but his forcing myself and Sir Elden to resign was just and a wise decision."
"No," she returned fiercely, "His forcing you to guard the palace gates and letting you and Sir Elden become maimed in the process was the worst of injustices. His treatment of the people is what caused the riot that blinded you, Allen. Do you not remember?"
"Of course I remember. But you look at it from a woman's view, Celena. I knew the dangers that were posed for me when I became a knight, a soldier. It was our duty to defend the palace, as well as those who stood within it. It was our duty, Celena."
"A woman's view, yes." she answered despairingly, wiping away at her tears, though they still flowed. She stood and moved to Allen's side, taking his hand into her own. "I still cannot imagine your hardship - but in a way, I . . . no, I'm just so proud of you. How you've changed in two months." And she placed his hand on her face. "How I wish I could make you proud of me."
"I am always proud of you, Celena, always. There is nothing wrong with you... nothing." Allen clasped his hand against the other's, a small smile gracing his lips.
"Well, so much for my dream to be a knight too." she laughed lightly, finally being able to dry her face, "Not that you would have approved of it. Do you suppose I could still train with you and Sir Elden now that you'll be knighted again?"
"I suppose you might, yes. My... wife." He smiled softly, nodding. "It would be a good learning experience, surely."
"You're wife," Celena mused, "I would want nothing more but - Sir Elden might not know. Surely the princess does. Gaddes knows who we are . . . we can't lie to everyone . . ."
"No, we cannot." Allen smiled, brushing his fingers against her cheek. "We will figure out what to do..."
Celena nodded while his hand was still by her cheek. "One week and you can wear your uniform again. You'll be knighted, Allen!" She stood suddenly, taking his hand and pulling, "The airship! We need to have it prepared! Surely you'll be posted somewhere - or something, I'm not sure how it works. Come, come! I want to be part of your crew! Navigator!" she giggled childishly, her skirts flowing about her as she bounced happily.
Allen laughed softly, shaking his head. "I'll take you with me, of course, if you wish it."
"I do wish it." she gazed at him softly, ceasing in her childish bouncing and now simply standing in front of him. Gently, she slid into his lap, letting her skirts settle about their legs like a blanket, and cupped his face. It still broke her heart that his eyes would never see her, but it could hardly be helped - no matter how hard she stared into their deep blue depths. She was about to ask a question, but instead kept her silence and kissed him suddenly, deeply.
Allen blinked slightly, but didn't pull away, returning the kiss in kind, his unseeing eyes half closed, arms loosely about her waist.
Reluctant to pull back from such tenderness, Celena stayed with her lips pressed to his for another moment or two. Sapphire orbs danced with light as they filled with rainbows and love. "Promise me something," she said tightly.
"What is it?" Allen stroked her hip softly, waiting for her to continue.
Bringing her nose close to his and snoodling him fondly she said, "Please don't get yourself killed. . ."
"I won't, I promise." Allen smiled, brushing his fingers against his sister's cheek softly.